Adult Ministries

Dr. Bruce Barton, Senior Pastor

LifeStages Bible Classes

The Adult Bible classes will provide learning and fellowship for the adults in those classes; however, the adult Bible class should not become disconnected from the rest of the church family. It is important that the classes remain open and friendly within the church as a whole. To encourage fellowship between the classes and to encourage all adults in the church family to become involved and grow spiritually, Central Baptist Church holds a variety of church-wide events. These events occur under the leadership of various ministry directors, are scheduled on our yearly calendar, and are carefully planned to meet the dual needs of spiritual growth and fellowship.

LifeStages Bible Classes meet every Sunday mornings at 9:30am, and are based on age so that topics and fellowship are more relevant to each group.  All of our classes have excellent teachers and classes activities outside of the classroom.

                    SingleVision ~ ages 18-29

                    Marriage Makers ~ ages 20-39

                    Family Foundation ~ ages 40-59

                    Second Milers ~ ages 60+

                    Athlea Ladies ~ ladies, any age

Senior Adults

Active

Our Seniors are active in many ways: special lunches, dinners out, trips to interesting sights out of town - whatever strikes their fancy.  Some are retired, some are not, some are married, others are widowed; all desire to deepen their friendship and mainstream new Seniors into the fellowship.

Involved

Seniors at Central never wait to be asked to participate in the ministries.  They step out and help across the board from Nursery workers to Sunday School teachers to the Hospitality Committee members, encompassing kitchen serving and decorating receptions.

Mentoring

Senior Adults are a "natural resource."  Though they are leaders in many ministries, Senior Adults are as valuable one-on-one.  In the Fall of 2009, we hope to ignite a program that matches a Senior Adult with a younger person.  A match might be for grandmothering of a child, but just as easily be for a middle-aged man to learn some plumbing skills from his elder.  There are needs to be loved, play a game, learn to mow, sew a pillow, hem a skirt, toss a football, bake anything, check the oil, research a Scripture or be friends to newlyweds.  We can set more Central family love in practice, and the key components are found in the wisdom, experience, healed hearts, and Godliness of our Senior Adults.

Gatekeepers

GateKeepers is designed to create healthy habits for Christian men that will create a closer walk with Christ and, in doing so, impact our entire congregation, our community, and our world. We believe that GateKeepers could be an impetus for revival among the men of our church as we dedicate ourselves to guarding the gates of our hearts, our minds, our families, our church and our nation against the satanic forces that are out to destroy us. Please join us in becoming a GateKeeper for Christ!

Vision

Our goal is to challenge every man in our church and community to be all they can be for Christ!

Mission

The purpose of Central Baptist's Men's Ministry is to lead men from isolation to brotherhood and arm them to be Christ-like leaders at home, in the Church, and out in the community.

GateKeepers Values

• Every man is important in our church.
• Every man needs to be prayed for.
• Every man needs to be discipled and developed.
• Every man needs to have a brother inside the church.
• Every man needs to be challenged and guided to growth.
• Every man needs to have a personal mission statement.
• Every man needs to have a personal growth plan.
• Every man needs to be held accountable.
• Every man needs to be a servant/leader in every area of their lives, especially if they have a wife and family.
• Every man needs to be aggressively pushing for the kingdom of God.

Why Call It GateKeepers?

A GateKeeper has the job of a shepherd in biblical times. At night when all of his sheep were inside, the Shepherd would lay himself in front of the opening in the fold. This would mean that anything coming in or going out would have to pass over him.

In this way a GateKeeper at Central Baptist Church is any man who accepts the challenge to stand watch and guard his own heart, the heart of his wife, kids, and grandkids. He will watch what comes into his home, and guard against what tries to harm him as well as those whom God has entrusted to him. In his capacity as patriarch, he is the primary protector of his home and family.

This is a calling of men to be who they are called by God to be. The submissive and loving leader, He has commissioned every man to be in the home...nothing more, nothing less.

Central Ladies

Central Ladies gives women (high school graduates to age 99) an opportunity for friendship-building and sharing.  Because Bible study is actively offered through our LifeStages Bible classes and our preaching services, we set aside time for our ladies to get together for a common interest or just, plain fun!  Activities have included retreats, craft times, fashion shows, and simple potlucks.  Fellowship and fun are only limited by the imagination of our women.